ELEANOR SINCLAIR
It was difficult to pretend not to know Damian Blackwood.
Everyone knew, and for people like me who were next to nothing, having to serve such a big shot felt like being sent off Earth. My mind recounted all I had heard of him-how there were formal, government officials in Vieuti and how he was the single, unofficial ruling force. He reeked of success, and though I had also heard that he was not averse to killing those who made things difficult for him, he looked so solemn when I saw him that I almost could not believe it. It was even hard to think about.
The management had chosen me to serve him because they decided I was the most experienced, but experience mattered less before him.
I moved towards his table with the bottle of wine that he ordered-clearly, some al
